With the Royal Wedding 2011 fast approaching, businesses are increasingly concerned about the possibility of Royal Mail service disruptions. But with DHL Servicepoint’s excellent track record, you can rest assured that there’s a fast and reliable alternative on your doorstep…
April 29th 2011. It’s already a date that’s etched onto the nation’s psyche, a date of significant historical importance. And we’re not talking about World Dance Day.
Yes, The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is almost upon us. For the smiling couple it marks the happiest day of their lives. For their family and millions of well-wishers it’s a time to celebrate the love of an iconic young couple. And for scores of others it means a welcome day off work and a few beers down the pub.
But for businesses more concerned with ringing up their profits than the ring on Kate Middleton’s finger, the main concern is to keep things running smoothly.
As the UK comes to a standstill, we understand that it’s imperative your business continues to deliver – especially when you’re working with overseas customers not caught up in Royal Wedding-mania. Special events and bank holidays can be a genuine worry for small businesses. Traditionally associated with endless Royal Mail hold-ups and delivery backlogs, it’s no wonder businesses are starting to panic.
But with DHL Servicepoint there’s really no need: we’re always prepared because we put customers first. With a record of always staying on schedule, whatever the circumstances, we’re the perfect service for ensuring predictability and reliability over the Royal Wedding weekend. There’s really no need to put business at risk when, quite simply, you know DHL Servicepoint will deliver.
With over 1000 stores located on high streets and in branches of Staples, Safestore, Rymans and Whsmith nationwide, you can just pop in, pack your parcel (with FREE DHL Servicepoint packaging!) and know it’ll arrive on time – and in tip-top condition. Another perfect partnership: happy days indeed!
For more information on how DHL Servicepoint can make life simpler and more reliable for your business, visit https://dhlservicepoint.co.uk/.
]]>Three years of university education and what do you have to show for it? A good degree (hopefully), a king-sized hangover and debts that warrant their own emergency budget.
But look around you. Why is there so much stuff ? And where did it all come from? From textbooks to traffic signs, university life is one long story of accumulation as you subconsciously set about building yourself affordable housing out of an endless stream of unopened Diagnosis Murder boxsets.
Problems come at the end of term or when you finally have to pack up and leave. What to do with it all? It’s a problem multiplied if you’re an international student needing to move back home with your whole life in tow. Here are some tips:
Sell it
Ask yourself, do I need all this stuff? Realistically, is it likely I’ll be inspired to pick up that copy of Social Constructionist Psychology: A Critical Analysis of Theory and Practice ever again?
If the answer is no, it’s time to get rid. But that doesn’t mean throwing things like textbooks away – they’re expensive to buy new which means a persisting demand from new students on the lookout for cheap secondhand copies. You can recuperate as much as 70% of the original RRP using sites like ebay to advertise your items to the widest possible audience.
Store it
Companies like Safestore offer secure storage facilities during holiday periods, when students in halls of residents are traditionally turfed out for up to a month at a time.
Prices are based on the amount of space you require. There are branches in over 90 locations nationwide, but Safestore guarantee they’ll beat the prices of any like-for-like competitor by 10%. What’s more, you’ll find a DHL servicepoint in every Safestore nationwide so you can even send stuff home while you’re there – with free secure packaging thrown in!
Send it
With airlines limiting the weight of luggage you can take on board, the only realistic option is to use a reliable shipping company. But before you do, here are some of the most important things to consider:
Reputation
Does the company have a good reputation for shipping internationally and on time? Ask around. Have your friends had any experience of using the company in question?
Quote
Estimate the total weight and size of your stuff so you can get quotes and compare costs.
Service
What does the service involve? For example, is free secure packaging included Are you able to arrange insurance and if so, what is covered?
Tracking
Is it possible to track the whereabouts of your parcel in transit? Can this be done online?
For more information, pop into your local DHL Servicecentre for a no-obligation chat about your shipping options
]]>It’s been a weekend of frenzied tweeting for our followers. We laid down the Valentine’s Day gauntlet on Friday and you didn’t disappoint, with a stream of ‘best ever present’ anecdotes that ranged from the hilarious to the, well, frankly disturbing.
A good time was had by all but all good things must come to an end – and with a bang for one lucky @dhlservicepoint Twitter follower. But before we reveal the winner, here’s a rundown of some of our favourite responses that didn’t quite make the grade:
The Runners Up
@dhlservicepoint prob not the best but funny, I got some car mats when I didn’t even have a car!!
@dhlservicepoint My best present was a beautiful dress that I wore on the night my boyfriend proposed to me it came in a DHL bag lol!*melts*
@dhlservicepoint it was a 2-person t-shirt. 2 neck opening and 4 sleeves. Turned out to be more funny than romantic, after falling over!
@dhlservicepoint.As a kid I wasnt allowed PlayDough or KinderEggs incase I choked-strict parents lol!last year my boyf got me a ton of both!
@dhlservicepoint A corpse, a film prop , he arrived safely via DHL in a six foot box, handsome chap #valentinesday http://yfrog.com/h7zbwjtj
And the winner is:
Congratulations @psychicsheep! Your vouchers will soon be on their way for making us all chuckle with schadenfreude at the following :
@psychicsheep I actually once received a book on cosmetic surgery for valentines from an EX girlfriend who thought my nose was too big!!!
]]>A recent survey conducted by the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA), has revealed that most defined contribution pension schemes run by smaller firms are attracting combined employer and employee contributions of less than 8% of earnings.
There is also little evidence they are keeping pace with the increasing cost of building a sufficient pension as lifespans extend.
The ACA survey gathered responses from 404 smaller employers with 250 or fewer employees. According to the Department for Business Innovation & Skills, there are over 1.2 million of these smaller firms which employ over half of the UK’s private sector employees (60%) and generate a half of all private sector turnover (49%), amounting to £1,589 billion per year.
Food for thought.
Equally worrying is the fact that at present, two thirds of the UK’s smaller firms offer no pension scheme at all despite the fact they will be required to auto-enrol their employees into a ‘qualifying workplace pension scheme’ between 2014 and early 2016 under government pension reforms.
Of the firms in the ACA survey without pension schemes, almost all (96%) said cost was the main reason they did not currently provide them. And of those that do, they stated the reason employees did not join their schemes is also mainly because of cost (84%).
Commenting on the survey results, ACA chairman Stuart Southall said:
“Our survey has found savings by both employers and employees into defined contribution schemes generally have failed to keep pace with the cost of building a sufficient pension. Pension contributions into most schemes reporting to this survey need to double on average to at least 15% of earnings if reasonable retirement incomes are to be achieved.”
For information on how DHL Servicepoint can help small businesses visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk
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Earlier this month the Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced the government’s plans to expand its New Enterprise Allowance scheme which assists those out of work who wish to set up their own business.
The initiative will be rolled out nationwide this autumn with the potential to create thousands of jobs in 2011 alone and up to 40,000 new businesses by 2013.
David Cameron said:
“It is vital that we ensure businesses, and those people who find themselves out of work but have the drive and desire to set up their own business, have all the advice, support and mentoring they need. Together we can make the years ahead some of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial in our history.”
Those interested in the New Enterprise Allowance will be given access to a business mentor who will provide guidance and support around their business idea and through the early stages of trading.
If they can then demonstrate they have a viable business proposition with growth potential, they can claim financial support which could be worth around £2,000 to each unemployed person who wants to start their own business.
The scheme begins in January in Merseyside and will then be rolled out to the remaining target areas from April and nationally in the autumn.
Are you a budding entrepreneur? Could you benefit from the New Enterprise Allowance? To learn more visit: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/
For information on how DHL Servicepoint can help small businesses visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk
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Last month on Christmas Day, according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) around 850 people filed their online tax return despite the deadline for submission not being until 31 January 2011.
Super organised or sad? You decide. Either way the 31 January deadline still looms and is now only a matter of days away. Miss it and you face an automatic £100 fine.
Most small business owners who are self-employed will have to complete an online self-assessment tax form. It may be time consuming and painful but it is also mandatory, so the best option is to bite the bullet and crack on.
Francesca Lagerberg, head of tax at business and financial advisers Grant Thornton, says: “Those who plan to file online should ensure they have prepared the relevant documentation and have not left it too late to avoid being caught up in the last minute rush. Last year an estimated one million people had to pay the taxman £100 for a late submission. In the current economic climate it would be a shame to incur an easily avoidable £100 penalty.”
Grant Thornton also adds that while £100 is the maximum penalty payable for late submission this is capped at the amount of tax outstanding as at 31 January. Therefore, if any outstanding tax liability is fully paid by this date the penalty is reduced to nil, although the penalty may be issued automatically and an appeal will need to be lodged with HMRC. If a business partnership tax return is filed late then there is a penalty of £100 for each partner in the partnership and this applies even if all of the partners pay their taxes by 31 January 2011.
Still confused? Call the HMRC helpline on 0845 900 0444 or visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa/
For information on how DHL Servicepoint can help small businesses visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk
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Like it or not, this month’s VAT increase from 17.5% to 20% has happened and we are all feeling the pinch: none more so than SMEs.
According to a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), more than 70% of small businesses expect the VAT rise to have a negative impact on them with 71% of the 1,600 respondents expecting the rise to be unbeneficial to their business. A further 52% expect to increase prices, 45% expect a fall in turnover, and 36% expect a loss of customers as a result.
While large corporates are able to absorb the additional costs, most small companies cannot and will have to pass them on to their customers.
The FSB is therefore urging the chancellor to review the VAT increase when the country’s deficit has been significantly reduced and return it to its original 17.5%.
It is also calling on the government to further help small businesses by increasing the threshold at which they begin to pay VAT – from the current rate of £70,000 to £90,000 – arguing this has the potential to create up to 35,000 jobs.
John Walker, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, says:
“Small businesses have had a tough time in 2010. These figures show that almost half of respondents are going to have to increase prices as a result.”
“If the government truly believes that the private sector is going to strengthen the recovery we need to see action. Increasing the threshold at which companies have to register for VAT will put almost £900 million back in the pockets of small businesses. Without this small firms will struggle to bounce back as the spending cuts start to bite.”
For information on how small businesses can cut their courier costs and save money with DHL Servicepoint visit: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk
]]>Are you running your business in the most tax efficient way?
While it is important to keep the taxman happy, it is also important to ensure your tax affairs – both business and personal – are managed so as to minimise the overall financial impact on your bottom line and your own purse.
A recent Real Business article, ‘The definitive tax guide for business owners’, offers ten top tax tips covering everything from reviewing reward packages and VAT arrangements to transferring business ownership and investing for capital growth.
It also includes information on an HM Revenue & Customs facility called the Business Payment Support Service which helps businesses experiencing cashflow difficulties to agree revised tax payment terms, without incurring penalties, on most taxes and duties including income tax, corporation tax, VAT, PAYE and National Insurance.
You can read the full article here.
And remember, if you’re running your own business DHL Servicepoint is also here to help with your delivery needs. Our destinations include 220 countries worldwide with UK deliveries starting at £5.95 and the USA and Canada at £25.95. All parcels are guaranteed and tracked at every stage and signed for on receipt.
Just pick your nearest DHL Servicepoint, pack your parcel for free when you get there, pay and then leave the rest to us: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/howto.htm
]]>We can all breathe a sigh of relief for now as the Bank of England once again announced last week to keep interest rates at 0.5% for the 19th month in a row.
While savers will not be best pleased, those with mortgages and loans – which includes a large chunk of the SME (small and medium size enterprise) community – will certainly applaud this welcome news.
And the decision will come as no surprise to the business world and economists who have predicted that the rate will remain at 0.5% until at least next year. A necessary move perhaps, as while the UK is slowly dragging itself out of the recession – the economy grew by 1.2% in the second quarter – there is still talk that we’re not out of the woods just yet…
So if you are an SME business owner with cost-cutting high on your to-do list, why not send your parcels via DHL Servicepoint’s cost-effective and safe and secure international service.
Our destinations include 220 countries worldwide with UK deliveries starting at £5.95 and the USA and Canada at £25.95. All parcels are guaranteed and tracked at every stage and signed for on receipt. Just pick your nearest DHL Servicepoint, pack your parcel for free when you get there, pay and then leave the rest to us www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/howto.htm
]]>Thinking of going freelance and setting up your own business?
No doubt the products, services, company name and even branding are sorted. But what about the all important legalities such as which business model works best for you?
Accounting specialists in the freelance and small business sector, Easy Accountancy, advise you to think carefully about the two main options available – sole trader or limited company – before making the leap.
They say: “One of the key challenges when making the decision to go freelance is to choose between becoming a limited company or simply setting-up as a sole trader. While there are benefits to going limited, many freelancers choose the sole trader option – primarily because they don’t want the hassle or the legal commitments which come with a limited company.”
Questions to consider are: what type of business is it, what will your turnover and profit be, do you have future plans to grow the business, what level of commercial risk will you be exposed to?
For the full article please click here.
lAnd don’t forget, whatever choice you make DHL Servicepoint is here to help with all your business delivery needs. Our simple three step process couldn’t be easier: pick your nearest DHL Servicepoint, pack your parcel for free when you get there, pay and leave the rest to us: www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/howto.htm
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